Spanish vocabulary · Beginner
What Does Mayores Mean in English?
Mayores · adjective · mah-YOH-rehs
Mayores is the plural of mayor and can mean older, elders, adults, or bigger depending on context. It is also the title of the 2017 reggaeton hit by Becky G and Bad Bunny, where it refers to being grown-ups or of age.
mah-YOH-rehs
Mis hermanos mayores viven en otra ciudad.
My older siblings live in another city.
Mayores in english in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for mayores in english, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| mayores | mayores in english | mah-YOH-rehs | Default, widely understood |
| older | mayores in english | comparative adjective | |
| elders | mayores in english | referring to older people | |
| adults | mayores in english | personas mayores = adults/grown-ups | |
| bigger | mayores in english | comparative of grande in size |
How Native Speakers Use Mayores
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Referring to older siblings
Mis primos mayores siempre me cuidaban de niño.
My older cousins always looked after me as a kid.
Mayores here functions as a comparative adjective meaning older.
Talking about adults or elders
Hay que respetar a los mayores.
You have to respect your elders.
Los mayores is a noun phrase meaning elders or older people — a very common expression.
The Becky G & Bad Bunny song
En la canción, Becky G canta: 'Ya nosotros somos mayores.'
In the song, Becky G sings: 'We're already grown-ups now.'
The song title Mayores uses the word to mean adults or of age, implying maturity and independence.
Comparing sizes
Estas cajas son mayores que las de ayer.
These boxes are bigger than yesterday's.
When applied to size rather than age, mayores means bigger or larger.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Mayores
Translating mayores as only majors
Incorrect: Mayores means majors in English.
Correct: Mayores primarily means older, elders, or bigger. It rarely translates as majors.
Although mayor can sometimes mean major (as in a major road), the most common meanings of mayores are older, bigger, or elders. Major is not the default translation.
Confusing mayor (older/bigger) with alcalde (mayor of a city)
Incorrect: El mayor de la ciudad dio un discurso. (meaning city mayor)
Correct: El alcalde de la ciudad dio un discurso.
The political title mayor translates to alcalde in Spanish, not mayor. The Spanish word mayor means older or bigger.
Lock in Mayores in english Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Mayores used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using mayores in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Mis hermanos mayores viven en otra ciudad. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Mayores in english in Spanish
- What does the Becky G song Mayores mean?
- In the song, mayores means grown-ups or adults. Becky G and Bad Bunny use it to express that they are old enough to make their own choices — 'Ya nosotros somos mayores' translates roughly to 'We're already adults now.'
- Can mayores mean bigger as well as older?
- Mayor functions as the comparative form of both grande (big) and viejo (old) when referring to age politely. So mayores can mean either bigger or older depending on whether you are comparing size or age.
- What is the difference between mayores and más grandes?
- Both can mean bigger, but mayor is more formal and is the standard comparative for age. Más grande is common in everyday speech for physical size. For people, mayores is strongly preferred over más grandes.